The Rhythm Of Living
by Cant.Resist
Summary: Life is far from perfect...it can't get any worse, can it?  Sequel to The Daughter, He Never Wanted.
1. Desire & Hate

"Where is she?" He tried not to shake under the dark lord's menacing gaze.

"She's at our manor, working on it as we speak, my lord."

"Has she been able to produce a viable copy, yet?" Voldemort drummed his long fingers impatiently against the table.

"I'm not sure. She never directly tells me anything about the elixir. I also tried looking through her notes, but its all encrypted." Suddenly, his body started to convulse on the floor. The dark lord was not amused. After what felt like years, he lifted the curse from his loyal servant, Theodore Nott. He began to pant heavily from the ground, it hurt like hell to breathe.

"I want you to bring her to me."

"She won't come easily, my lord."

"Why is that? Isn't your wife loyal to my cause?" The other deatheaters stared straight at Nott. Did they have a traitor within their midst?

"It's not that my lord. As from as I know, she hasn't pledge loyalty to any cause, but I do know she is completely terrified of you, sir." The dark lord let out a callous chuckle.

"As everyone else." He started to circle the man."But what are we going to do about this situation?"

Someone grunted, "My lord."

"Speak Malfoy." All the attention turned to Lucius.

"The ball for the reopening of Hogwarts is in a few days. If Nott were to deceive her into attending, she would be walking straight into your hands." The dark lord seemed to visibly ease his posture.

"Excellent idea, Malfoy." Voldemort turned towards Nott, who was now standing, barely. "You are to bring her the night of the celebration. Wine her, dine her, if you must but by the end of the party, she will be sent to me."

"Yes, my lord."

"Yaxley, escort Nott out of here." Voldemort demanded. The elder deatheather forcefully shoved him. towards the rear exit of the room. As soon as they were out of earshot Yaxley whispered to him.

"Don't you know how to control your wife. For your sake you better learn soon."

"I don't have a silly little bint of a wife, she's unbelievably powerful and very opinionated." The man angrily snarled to the elder deatheather.

"Aren't all women like that?" The men turned to see Severus Snape. The man, who usually carried an unemotional, indifferent demeanor, looked absolutely livid at the moment. "You would know all about it, wouldn't you?" He smiled cockily at his wife's father.

"Yes, I would. Now if you don't mind _Snape_, I need to go see _my wife_." After getting in the last word, he disappeared before Snape could set this wrath on him.

~~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

"Honey, I'm home." I cringed, he was home once again. "Where are you, Meredith?" I sighed, he never left me alone when he was home.

"I'm in here." I called. Either I tell him where I am, or let him get angry and eventually find me at some point. The first option was usually less painful. I waved my hand, my elixir vanished, and a healing potion appeared in its place. I started stirring the potion, which was already completed. Had been for hours, but he didn't know that. I tensed as he wrapped his arms around my torso.

"What are you working on?"

"A healing potion. You've been coming home constantly with cuts and breaks."

"Been worried about me?" I snorted.

"It's something to do." He growled in response, and pushed himself away from me.

"Well if that's the way you're going to be, than you don't need to go with me to the celebration later this week." I turned towards him excited.

"Celebration? As in we would be going out somewhere?" I haven't left this blasted house, since the 'wedding'. He smirked.

"Yes, I'm invited to go to the reopening of Hogwarts. A lot of important people will be there."

"Like who? Everyone that was anyone, is in hiding now."

"I thought you would be interested in the guest of honor."

"Is it dark lord?" I asked, knowing full well of the taboo that was recently placed on his name. Theo chuckled.

"He wouldn't waste his time, being the head baby sitter in Hogwarts."

"They've replaced Dumbledore so quickly."

"Yes, his successor is the dark lord's right hand man." I sighed. It no longer sounded like something I wanted to go to.

"Nobody I would like to see."

"On the contrary Meredith, I thought you would like to congratulate your father about his new position." I nearly dropped the goblet, I was holding at the moment.

"He's the new headmaster?"

"Yes, isn't it ironic, that the man who killed the previous one is now in his position. So bitter sweet."

"Stop talking about it." Theo held onto my shoulder.

"Not rooting for the wrong side, are you? Because it's good that Dumbledore is dead."

"I'm not on anyone's side, its just disgusting."

"What is?"

"Dumbledore being murdered by my father. He was his friend and he killed him. Now he is swooning in the spoils of war."

"A man deserving of respect, like I will soon be."

"By doing what? From what I tell, your not as well as respected, as my father. It's not like you can kill Dumbledore twice." His eyes flashed with rage but then he smiled and pulled me close.

"That's where you come in, my dear."

"What do you mean?"

"To be well-respected as I should be, I must be envied."

"Envied how?" My face was pressed against his chest, I could barely breathe.

"Be in the dark lord's inner circle and have a wife that most men would die to have."

"I am nothing." I started to tear up. If I was anything, I would of never gotten myself in this situation.

"I was nothing, until I met you." Theo confessed. He cupped the sides of my face, making me look into his eyes. They were filled with desire, for what, I hope I wouldn't find out. "You're intelligent and gullible, yet inspirational and intuitive. Also you were bless with looks of goddess. You're not part veela, are you?"

"Not that I know of."

"See the perfect witch, and you're all mine. Every man will be filled with such lust and their wives with such envy, when they see us together. So would you still like to accompany me at the celebration?"

"You just want to show off what you have." I scoffed.

"Basically. Why wouldn't I? But think about it, you get of the house, get a new dress and maybe see your father."

"I'll be surrounded by other deatheaters, won't I?"

"Yes, them and their children, it is the reopening of the school after all."

"Will the dark lord be there?"

"He doesn't have the time to waste on such petty things, like parties."

"Fine." He pressed me to him once more, smirking. _If only I realized what lies that I just had agreed to._

~~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~

"Are you thinking about her again?" Hermonie asked me once again. It was obvious that I was, I couldn't lie to her, so I answered her truthfully.

"Yes." I felt her gently squeeze my shoulder.

"You're thinking too hard into it Harry."

"But she had to know. She was Malfoy's friend, and Snape's daughter. She had to know all along." Hermonie sat down on the ground next to me.

"Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. But its the past now." She wasn't getting what I meant.

"But where was she when Snape and the rest of them were fleeing? She wasn't with Snape, when he killed Dumbledore, so where was she?"

"Maybe she ran away." Hermonie suggested. I shook my head. It just didn't sound right, not for the girl who had threatened me.

"She wouldn't of done that. It's just not something, I feel she would do. Maybe she was taken."

"Seriously Harry, you're worrying yourself over something so trivial. She probably just disappeared back to the place where she came from. No one even knew that Snape had a daughter, until last year."

"But that's just it Hermonie. Something about her is important. She has something major to do with our futures. At Slughorn's party, he announced that she was creating a potion that would make the drinker immortal. What if that is the reason she disappeared? What if Vol..." Hermonie slapped my face.

"Harry don't say that. His name is tabooed."

"Sorry, what if _he_ heard about her potion? Maybe _he_ had taken her, and is forcing her to complete what she had started." Hermonie finally had caught on, much to her and my terror.

"If she actually is able to brew it, all our work could be for nothing."

"_He_ would become invincible." Hermonie shook my arm, tears ready to spill from her eyes.

"We need to find her, Harry. We need to find her soon."

"I know, Hermonie. I just don't know where to start."

~~~~~Draco's POV~~~~~

What a fucking joke. _Attending, Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Nott._ I crumbled the list in my hand.

"How bloody dare she!" I slammed my fist into wall.

"Draco?" I slammed my fist again and again. "Draco, what are you doing?" My mother came running into the parlor. "Draco! What did you do?"

"Nothing, mother." I gritted thorough my teeth. She clutched my damaged hand.

"Look what you did to your hand." I pulled away from her.

"Nothing that can't be fixed."

"Draco, is there something I can do, to help you?" I tossed the list to her feet.

"You could help me, by telling me who invited that beseeching tramp!" She picked the list off the floor and came towards me.

"Draco, you need to calm down. You don't want the _others_ to hear." She nervously whispered.

"I don't care who hears! I want to know why she is coming! Who invited her!" I countered.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Meredith Snape."

"Who?" I smacked the desk this time. "Draco, don't do that."

"I meant Meredith Nott! I forgot that tart moves on, so quickly."

"I don't know Draco." I whipped towards her.

"I want to know who!"

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Draco?" I turned towards the voice. My aunt Bellatrix had entered the room.

"You invited her!" I accusingly pointed to her. She huffed and circled around us.

"Cissy, I think that little Draco here, should be reminded who he's talking to." She giggled.

"Enough Bella." She stopped and crossed her arms. She huffed again. "I invited her husband in order to get her to attend." My father had entered the room.

"Of what importance is she to you, father?"

"Nothing, the dark lord wants her. Nott has failed to produce his wife on several occasions and the only way she will get anywhere near the dark lord is if she is deceived into coming under false pretensions."

"What does the dark lord want with her?"

"Apparently, she's like her father. A potions protegee."

"How can that be? She's lucky if she's even 17 yet."

"And she's already married? She's just barely a woman." My mother cut in.

"I was told that she was in courses two years her senior, and it was her first year of any kind of formal training or schooling." My father paused, "Wasn't she in Slytherin, with you?"

"Yes, but I doubt she really has any potential that the dark lord wants."

"She is close to finishing an elixir that our lord dying to get his hands on."

"What is she possibly making, that he couldn't just have someone here make it?" I asked.

"I was told that anyone who would drink it would become..." He whispered the last part, "Immortal." My mouth hung in shock. My aunt screamed in delight.

"How could that be, Lucius?" My mother mumbled.

"It has been a side project of hers, for years now and she is almost completed with it." My aunt tugged on my arm.

"You're going to introduce me to her. I want to see this girl for myself." She demanded. My heart wanted to stop beating. Was it actually true?


	2. She's Going To Ruin Everything

That looks marvelous, Meredith." I sighed. Every dress I had tried on, looked 'marvelous' to the sales' witch.

"What do you think?" Theo adjusted his tie before looking over at me. He smirked.

"It looks great. Let's get that one."

"Isn't it a bit much?" I pulled on the short hem. Theo slid his hand on my exposed thigh, I smacked the wandering limb. It was bad enough I had to give into his sexual advances in private, but I couldn't deal with it in public.

"This is the one were getting. It's perfect." The sales' witch clapped in delight.

"Good choice, green compliments her so well."

"Slytherin colors, after all." Theo smugly declared. I just shook my head. He was so arrogant some times.

"Right, you are, Mr. Nott. Would you like me to ring you two up?" She questioned

"No." I answered.

"Yes." Theo ushered the witch away. I sighed. Theo pulled me close and whispered. "You're getting this dress, so deal with it." He patted my arse. "Now, go get changed so I can pay for this stuff." I narrowed my eyes at him. Jerk. I waved my hand and I changed back into my sundress and long cloak. He winked at me. "You're going to have to teach me that sometime, that could come in handy." I huffed.

~~~~~Narcissa's POV~~~~~~

"Enter." I exhaled, not ready to talk to him.

"Severus?" I quietly peeked around the door, to see him at his desk. "Are you busy?"

"No, sit down." He politely offered me a chair. "What brings you here?" I nervously started to pick at my hands. I couldn't look him in the eyes.

"I'm afraid, I have some terrible news."

"Concerning what?" He asked impatiently.

"Well, first, do you have a daughter?"

"Yes." He admitted through clenched teeth.

"I might as well come out with it. It has been eating away at me for days now. Lucius invited her husband and her to the celebration tomorrow." I jumped when he slammed his fist again the desk, I knew he wouldn't be happy. "I'm so sorry, Severus." The look in his eyes terrified me.

"Trying to get into the dark lord's favor again."

"I didn't know about it until after the fact, I'm sorry Severus. I truly am." He grunted, as I was on the very edge of blubbering.

"Why would the dark lord want her?" It seemed more like he was asking himself, rather than me, but I gave him the answer, that Lucius told me.

"Something about an elixir that the dark lord wants her to brew."

"DAMN HER!" He shouted. He paced for a moment. "She's going to ruin everything."

"She doesn't know Severus. She won't know anything about this, until the party is over with."

"She's oblivious to the situation, she is going to walk into?"

"That's the way the dark lord ordered it, otherwise Nott says he cannot produce her."

"I'll kill him."

"You know that will not make any difference. The dark lord gets what he wants." He sat down defeated. I have never seen him so distraught.

"At least she'll have a couple hours of ignorant bliss."

"That's another thing I wanted to discuss with you."

"What else do have to say to me? That she won't even have that little time left to enjoy herself?"

"Draco, may intervene the situation. He was outraged by the fact that she is coming."

"I don't care, what petty grudge that Draco is holding onto, but he will not ruin the little time she has left. You got that?"

"Understood."

"Good, now I would find it best, if you would leave." I nodded, agreeing with him. A loud crash sounded through the door, just as I closed it. Severus was never an emotional man, but I now see the reason for it. Hopefully one day, he could forgive us. I know if it would have been Draco, in her place, I would be enraged.

~~~~Third Person POV~~~~~

Snape stood at the base of his pensieve. His cold eyes wet with angry tears. He had destroyed the better part of his office. Dumbledore's portrait tried to calm him down on several occasions, but failed miserably. The only thing that seemed to comfort him, was his memories.

_His voice, teetering on the edge of a very, patient rope. _

"_I do not appreciate being patronized in my own home." _

"_You're a fool, Severus." His wife argued. _

"_If I'm the fool, who are you?" _

"_The only one who gives a damn, Severus." _

"_I was thinking my along the lines, of over-bearing control freak." He bitterly countered. _

"_How dare you!" Her hand collided with the side of his head. Without taking in the consequence he back-handed his wife back. Ever since he had ran from his childhood home, he vowed to never to be pushed around again. _

"_How dare you, Anya." He could see, his wife winced in pain, a few tears shed from her unforgiving eyes. He wasn't going to fall for her act. _

"_You hit me." She sniffled, trying to add to her act. _

"_I only did it because you provoked me." She sneered knowing that attempt wasn't going to put him in his place. _

"_Oh, because I provoked you? So every time I provoke you, you're going to take it out on me." _

"_That's not what I meant and you know it. Don't twist my words around." She slammed her hands into his shoulders. He slightly stumbled back._

"_Is that enough provocation, Severus?" His fists clenched at his sides. _

"_I would quit while your ahead Anya." He replied through clench teeth. The photo frames and trinkets that adorned the walls surrounding them, began to shake violently. He was about to snap. _

"_Or what Severus?" She taunted. Quickly his hands found their way around her throat, he wanted to throttle the very life out of her. She raked him in the eyes, and he released his grip. She fell to the floor gasping. He stood in place, not able to see. It became very silent within the room. Nothing was moving or clanking like before._

"_Espikey." He whispered. He blinked, once again able to see. He looked down on his wife disgusted. She made him lose control. He walked over to her, as she stared at him. _

"_Come to finish me off?" She rasped. He rolled his eyes, over dramatic as usual. "It's okay. I know the prospect of you being a father, never was something you really wanted. Just do it now." _

"_What?" He stammered. _

"_You heard me. I'm pregnant." _

"_You're serious?" _

"_Yes, Severus." He knelt by his wife. _

"_I'm sorry, Anya. I don't want to ever hurt you or our baby again. I promise to protect you." _

He slammed his fist into the side of the stone pensieve. He had broken that promise, on more than one occasion. Quickly he was interrupted from his thoughts.

"What the hell happen in here?" Amycus Carrow had entered his office.

"None of your business Carrow." He sneered at the man.

"No need to be rude Snape." He started to pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed with Carrow.

"What are you doing here, uninvited?" Amycus took the liberty of making himself comfortable in one of the many armchairs within the room.

"The ghosts were blabbering about a commotion in the headmaster's office. Thought I would check it out." The man was too nosy.

"Well you have came and seen. Leave." Amycus stood smirking.

"This little burst of aggression isn't because of Narcissa Malfoy, is it?"

"Crucio." Amycus's body started to repel up and down from the floor, while screaming his lungs out.

*******************The day of the party

I wonder what will happen when he sees me? That's if he sees me. He is going to be the so called guest of honor, maybe he won't have the time? Maybe he just won't care? I sighed in annoyance. This party was going to be the death of me. I wiped the fog away from the mirror and leaned against the counter. I was suppose to be getting ready to go, but I found myself not to have any motivation to move along any faster. I'm too nervous to be able to concentrate.

"Missus?" The house elf was politely knocking on the door like I asked. I slightly opened the door to view the little creature.

"Yes, Dot?" She looked straight at the ground instead of my face.

"Master, wanted to know if you needed help? You're suppose to be leaving within a few hours time for the party."

"Umm.. I don't really think..."

"Master said that he was going to help you if you liked or not. But you could either have Dot help or master help you get ready." I opened the door wider for the sad little creature.

"In that case, come right in."

"Dot thanks missus."

"Don't worry about it. Now I was wondering if you knew about what kind of hair I should where with my dress? I've never been to a social gathering. Well at least not like this."

"Dot knows. Dot knows." She summoned a chair and ushered to me to sit in it. "Just relax Missus, I'll be done soon." I sat there and patiently waited for the house-elf to start. She circled around me for a while. She snapped her bony little fingers and my hair spun up into a bun. She muttered to herself, and snapped her fingers over and over again. After changing my hair like thirty times, she started to clap.

"Are you done?"She nodded her head. "Can I look at it?"She shook her head again. I stood and looked into the mirror. I couldn't help but run my hand through my hair. The curls were so soft and elegantly cascaded down my back and shoulders. "It's beautiful Dot. Thank you."

"You..your welcome Missus."

"Do you think you could do my make up too?" I turned to the little creature. She beamed and nodded her head.

"Yes, Missus just stand still." Suddenly the process started all over.

~~~~~~Narcissa's POV~~~~~~~

I graciously opened the door. This had been the moment I had been anticipating all evening. Severus's daughter had finally arrived.

"Good evening, Ms. Malfoy." I smiled humbly.

"Good evening, Theodore and..." She delicately held out her hand.

"Meredith. It's nice to meet you Ms. Malfoy."

"The pleasure is all mine. Come in and join the festivities."

"Thank you." Theodore gently helped her through the doorway. She looked nervous coming into the room, but smiled graciously. As if there wasn't a problem.

"Is that her?" Lucius asked from behind me.

"I believe so."

"She's so young."

"And beautiful."

"That she is. I wonder why Severus kept her hidden from everyone?" Another courteous rap sounded against the mahogany doors. I opened the door once again.

"Hello Natalie."

"Good to see you Narcissa."

"You too." I looked over to see someone standing to her side.

"Hello Blaise."

"Good evening Ms. Malfoy."


	3. The One Everyone Wants

"Why are we here? I thought it was going to be at Hogwarts." I whispered to Theo. He smirked back.

"No, the school is undergoing some changes. Plus, the Malfoys always throw the most prestigious parties. It's natural for them to throw a party for someone like your father."

"So Draco is here?" I asked, slightly getting anxious. The last time I had saw Draco, he pretty much disowned me as a friend. He squeezed the side of my arm.

"Probably, but don't get any smart ideas of trying to befriend him again."

"Why?" I harshly whispered. I ripped his hand from my arm. The man next to us causally looked over at us, both Theo and I smiled back as nothing was wrong.

"Because I told you so." I sneered at him. He just chuckled and pulled me away from the entrance hall towards a gigantic room.

"Whoa."

"I told you. This is the reason why the Malfoys are the ones to throw lavish parties." I looked all around the room. It was barely a fourth full and there had to be three-hundred people alone within the room.

"There's so many people." Theo chuckled once more.

"They have barely yet to arrive."

~~~~~Draco's POV~~~~~

"Look who's over there Draco." Pansy pointed behind me. I was going to roll my eyes, but instead I narrowed them.

"Oh, look its Snape's pride and joy."

"She moves on fast. Look at her hanging off Nott." I bitterly agreed.

"You don't have to say that again."

"I heard she married him the day after, Snape finished off Dumbledore." Pansy's friend interjected.

"Yeah, I don't understand how that worked out. She must have been going around behind Zabini's back the whole time."

"Poor Blaise. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that. He should have a good woman." Crabbe snorted.

"I hope you don't think your talking about yourself, Millicent." She jabbed him in the chest.

"What's that suppose to mean, Vincent?" She spat back at him.

"What do you think Millicent?"

"I would watch out mate, you might get married off to her one day." Goyle joked. Crabbe glared.

"And that would be the day of my death." Crabbe mumbled.

"Agreed." Millicent stated. I looked back over at Meredith and Nott. He looked absolutely smug. I could tell why. Meredith looked gorgeous. Her hair was piled in luscious curls and the green cocktail dress ascendent her curves so well. It was intoxicating to look at her. I shook my head disgusted. She was nothing more than a liar and a tart. Her presence here was like a mockery to me.

"DRACO!" I cringed to hear my mother's sister calling for me.

"Yes, aunt Bella." She was hopping from one foot to the other. She was excited.

"Is that her? Is that the girl the dark lord wants?" The others around me, ceased their conversations. They were interested in who she was talking about.

"Yes, but you're not suppose to approach her." She frowned, but then smiled once again.

"It won't hurt if I go over there and introduce myself." She swiftly patted the side of my face. She skipped into the crowd, directly heading towards Meredith and Nott.

"Who was she talking about Draco?"

"It's none of your damn business. I doubt the dark lord would appreciate his newest recruits being nosy. But its not my hide I would have to worry about, is it?" They all shut up and went back to their conversations.

~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

"Theo, who's that dark haired woman that is making a beeline straight towards us?" The man who was previously talking to Theo, looked back and shuddered.  
>"I'll see you later in the night, Mr. Nott." The quickly scurried away. His thoughts were erratic. All he kept thinking, was that <em>I don't want to be near her. I don't want to get anywhere near her. <em>

"You know, its not good to be doing that."

"What do you mean?"

"A lot of people know some form of Occumlency. I doubt you really want to be reading their thoughts, they're deatheaters after all."

"Oh. Well who is that woman because that man you were talking to was scared of just sighting her."

"Bellatrix Lestrange. She's a cruel and deranged deatheater. Over a decade of Askaban didn't help much on that matter anyways, if anything, it made her more deranged."

"Hello Ms. Lestrange." She cackled at my greeting. She made me anxious once more. I couldn't help but hear her thoughts. _So this is the silly little bint that Draco is so adamant about. _Theo's grip started to intensely increase around my fingers. _Pity that she's married off to this idiot. _Theo grunted.

"What's your problem, Nott? Cat got your tongue?" She cackled again. Apparently her poor excuse of a pun was hilarious to her. I had to admit, this woman was quite intimidating. Theo had remained very quiet since she had approached us. "So beauty queen, are you really Snape's offspring?"

"Um..yes." She suddenly, held onto my chin and inspected me over.

"Bella, we must keep our hands to ourselves." A man with sleek blonde hair had join the conversation.

She reluctantly let go of my face. I wanted to rub her touch from my chin, but I resisted the urge.

"It's remarkable, how much she looks like Snape's poor dead wife."

"Ah, yes Bella. She looks exactly like Anastasia."

"Hello Mr. Malfoy." Theo greeted the man. My eyes nearly doubled in size. The last time Draco and I had talked, he told me that his father was locked up in Askaban. But here he is, standing right before me.

"Good evening Theodore." He turned towards me and smirked, just like Draco. "Pardon, my manners. It is nice to meet you Meredith." He shook my hand. "My name is Lucius Malfoy."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." Bellatrix huffed. He clamped a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Excuse my sister-in-law." He looked down at her. "Bella, couldn't you be helping Narcissa with the door?" She huffed again and pushed his hand from her shoulder.

"You should be doing that. I'm not the one who married her."

"Bella." His voice was undeniably stern. He wasn't asking her this time.

"Fine." She started to wander off in the direction of the entrance hallway.

"Theodore could I talk to you for a moment alone?" Theo turned to me.

"I'll only be a few minutes. Why don't you get something to drink?"

"Sure." I replied. Not really certain what else to say. He let go of my hand and trailed behind Draco's father. I sighed and looked around for the refreshment place. There was a bar in the far corner of the room. I quickly made my way through the ever growing crowd. I received many questioning stares as I finally had reached the bar. The elf house behind the bar, quickly came to service me.

"What would Miss like?"

"Just a glass of water." I sat at the counter. I causally sipped at my water until a voice came from behind me.

"A butter beer here." I turned and saw Blaise next to me. "Hello Meredith."

"Hi Blaise." I nervously replied. He sat down and smirked.

"It's been awhile."

"That it has." I nearly knocked over my drink, when I felt his hand on my thigh.

"So where's Theo tonight?

"Stalked off with Lucius Malfoy."

"So you're alone for now?" His hand slid farther up my thigh. I pushed his hands from me.

"I'm sorry Blaise. I'm sorry for all that I have done to you. But I don't do that."

"Why, your precious Theo isn't around?"

"I'm not like that Blaise. As much as you believe otherwise, I'm really not." Blaise's face instantly dropped.

"You're choosing him over me."

"He's my husband now." Blaise stood up offended. He clearly wasn't happy with my response. I know I've hurt Blaise tenfold of what he has caused me. I just don't know why he is even bothering to talk to me, I cause nothing but trouble for people.

"I wonder if you'll see the same way tomorrow."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You'll see." Then he walked away.

"Blaise?" I called for him but he was too far into the crowd. I felt trapped within the crowd. There is so many people. Way too many people. I started to bump into a bunch of people. "Sorry." I kept repeating over and over again, until I had finally reached an opening leading out of the room. I just needed a breather.

"You know that it isn't proper for a woman to slouch like that." I straighten my posture and looked around alert. I found my father staring back at me. He was wearing dress robes and he looked stressed and uncomfortable.

"I didn't realize that."

"You wouldn't." I looked at the ground ashamed. "So how have you been?" I looked back him surprised.

"Alright. I don't see much of anyone other than Theo." His expression soured at the sound of Theo's name. "How have you been father?"

"Busy." His answer seemed strained.

"I heard Hogwarts is going through some changes. Is that what is keeping you busy?"

"Yes, some teachers have been unfortunately replaced."

"Ah." I wasn't sure how to reply to that. Of course he had to replace his old position, now that he was taking over the headmaster position.

"Severus, this is where you have been hiding." A woman exclaimed. It was Mrs. Malfoy. "Why hello again, Meredith."

"What is it, Narcissa?" He demanded. He seemed annoyed at her presence.

"Lucius wanted to talked to you. _He_ is getting very impatient." She smiled but her voice was riddled with nerves. He sighed.

"Tell him, I'll be there shortly." She shook her head and took off in the other direction.

"Well, I guess, I'll see you later."

"Yeah." And with that he trudged away. Before I could even blink, I was being dragged down the corridor.

"What are you doing Theo?"

"We have to go." He seemed distracted but very persistent.

"What do you mean? We just got here not too long ago."

"Just be quiet." I smacked my arm from him. I don't like him bossing me around.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, until you tell me what's going on." He got in my face.

"Knock it off Meredith. We need to go." I tried looking in his head. He shoved me back and my head started to pound.

"Stop it. It hurts." Tears started to fall from my eyes it hurt so bad.

"Then don't try that again. Otherwise it will hurt worse."

"What are you trying to hide?" He began to drag me once again, towards this huge doors. Two burly looking men in dark robes, were staring us down. _Pretty little wife that Nott has got. I wonder if the dark lord just wants her for her looks. _I instantly waved my hand sending Theo into a wall. "I TRUSTED YOU! YOU DIRTY BASTARD! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T!" The two deatheaters came running at me. I disarmed them quickly. I fell to my knees in pain, the shocking sensation was overtaking my ability to even think. Theo stood above me.

"I told you." He picked up my chin, so I was staring at him and the two deatheaters that had finally reached us. I bit my lip, trying to keep myself from screaming. "It was going to happen sooner or later. Now you keep your mouth shut and your magic to yourself, otherwise I will punish you." He pulled on my chin and made me nod. The two deatheaters beside him, chuckled. He secured his arms around me. I started to pound on his chest.

"You promised to keep me safe. I married you because you promised." I screeched out. He bitterly looked down at me.

"You should of learned."


	4. What Happen?

Instantly Theo tensed up, I struggled to be free of his arms.

"So this is the troublesome wife causing me such anguish." I stopped moving, my breath got caught in my throat. I was being held in front of the man, who I feared the most. He chuckled at my horrified expression. "Hello Meredith." If I wasn't in Theo's arms, I would of dropped to the floor right then and there. He looked up at Theo. "Doesn't she talk?"

"She is just nervous." He shook me a little. "Come on, Meredith. Our lord is speaking to you." Suddenly, we collapse and hit the floor. Theo began to scream bloody murder. I crawled away from him afraid.

"How dare you lie to me. She's petrified." He lifted the curse from Theo.

"I'm sorry my lord." He managed to wheeze out. He turned his attention away from Theo and to me once again. I had bumped into someone's feet while I was trying to crawl away.

"My lord?" The deatheater asked, gesturing towards me.

"Bring her here Avery." He conjured a stool. The deatheater roughly pulled me from the ground and placed me on the stool. "Now, I have proposition for you. But I do have one thing to ask of you first."

"Wh...What issss... it.. ss-sir?" He clapped his long fingers together, obviously pleased. I flinched.

"She speaks." He started to circle around me. "I always get what I want. Either you will do it for me willingly, or I will have my servants force you too. Which one sounds better?"

"Wi...lllingly." I stammered out.

"Always the better option." He stopped right in front of me, glaring into my eyes. "But I don't just hand out a mission to just anyone. This will be of utter importance and only given to one that pleads their loyalty."

"But what use am I?" His long fingers found themselves fixated in my hair. He pulled my face close to his distorted one.

"I wouldn't play dumb. It doesn't suit your features. You're an exceptionally powerful witch, who I've had my eye on for so long. Now, you're going to answer me. Do you plead loyalty to me?" My lip started to bleed from biting it so hard, I wasn't sure how to answer him. Suddenly, he unwound his fingers from my hair. "You have strong mental boundaries, but they would be stronger if you didn't have a mental block placed in your mind." He turned towards Theo, who was now standing. "What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing my lord."

"You're making this a habit, Nott." He started to scream once more. He began to claw at his face, as if trying to scratch him out of his head.

"Please stop." He shouted. He turned to the few deatheaters in the room.

"Get him out of here. I'll deal with him later."

"Yes, my lord." They dragged Theo out of the room, still screaming.

"Now, I'm curious my dear, in what your husband was trying to hide." I put my hands up defensively.

"Nothing...sir. I promise you, there is nothing interesting hidden within my mind."

"I have my doubts."

~~~~~~~Draco's POV~~~~~~~

I smirked as I walked passed Nott who was currently knocked out. I approached my father as he stood lamely against the wall.

"What happen to him?"

"He lied to the dark lord."

"He deserved everything that he got." He let out a stiff sigh.

"The dark lord isn't finished with him yet."

"So why are you out here babysitting the git?"

"The dark lord is interrogating his wife."

"Interrogating her?"

"To see if she can be trusted."

~~~~~Third Person POV~~~~~~

Murmurs began to rumble throughout the crowd.

"Something is happening Cissy, I can feel it." Bella excitedly exclaimed.

"Thank god Severus left. This can't be good." Suddenly a shriek could be heard across the ball room. Suddenly, every drinking glass shattered. Some were in people's hands and the abandon slammed against the wall. Bella hooted with delight.

"I told you, Cissy. I told you."

"Bella. Bella stop."

"Come on, this party is boring anyways." Narcissa looked positively disturbed by the whole situation. Bellatrix quickly skipped down the corridor, not caring what shatter piece of shrapnel that she would step on. On the other hand, Narcissa was horrified that her house was destroyed. They cautiously opened the door leading to the parlor. Lucius and their lord were inspecting the girl. Her unconscious body was sprawled on top of serving table. The rest of the furniture in the room was demolished.

"It has been awhile, since I have I met someone with intelligence that almost matches my own." Voldemort flicked the hair out of her pale face. "Her mental abilities are phenomenal, no surprise that Nott had knocked her out to be able to control a small portion of it."

"She is the cause of this destruction?" Lucius quietly questioned.

"Yes Lucius. She's a powerful being, a powerful being now under my control."

"Are you going to mark her my lord?"

"I already have."

~~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~~

Slowly the sun crept onto my face. I rolled over only to be met by more sunlight. I sat myself up confused of where I was. My bedroom didn't have this many windows.

"Confused?" I looked over to see Draco perched on the window ledge. I shook my head.

"Yes. What's going on Draco?" He slid his hand through his hair, seeming to contemplate what to say. I removed the covers away from me, only to discover I was in a silk teddy. "Draco, seriously what happen?"

"You met the dark lord last night." Pictures began to flood my mind, my body started to shake.

"I remember." I quietly muttered. He jumped from the window and advanced slowly towards me.

"Well after destroying the better part of my home, you passed out in front of the dark lord."

"What happen Draco?" I stood before him, my eyes watering from the images occupying my mind. "Please tell me. Please." I begged.

"The dark lord deemed you as trustworthy and had you brought up here."

"That's it?"

"Mostly. It was determined that you are to stay here."

"At your home?"

"Yes." He mumbled. He started to sneer. "Your husband.."

"Don't call him that."

"Well Theo is unfit to keep charge over you."

"Charge over me? Like an animal?"

"Pretty much."

"What does the dark lord want with me?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"I don't remember. Something about a mission." He took a step back from me.

"I can't tell you then."

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm suppose to tell you to get ready for breakfast and escort you to the kitchen."

"Breakfast?"

"Yeah, you know food. From the way you look, its something that you been avoiding for awhile now." My fist collided with his nose. It started to bleed profusely.

"Jerk."

"Bloody whore. You broke my nose."

"And I'm not going to fix it for you either." I started to make my way towards a door that I presumed as the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Draco questioned. He was glaring down at me. I opened the door, I was happy to see that I was right.

"To take a shower. Or is that a crime now?" His eyes narrowed, but he didn't reply. "I'll be done in twenty minutes." I slammed the door and sighed. I could hear him cursing in the other room. I quickly jumped into the shower, wanting the warm water to wash all my stress away. I stepped out of the shower, and stood in front of the mirror. I waved my hair dry. Something had caught my eye. I moved my arm again and screamed.

"Meredith?"

"What did he do to me?" I screamed again. All I could do was stare in the mirror and gawk at the left side of my body. Draco busted into the room.

"What's the.." He paused for a moment, "problem?"

"Look at me. What the hell is tattooed to the entire side of my body?" I looked at Draco, who had his hand held out in front of him. I slapped his hand away enraged. "This is no time to be modest Draco. What the fuck is this?" He looked away and sighed.

"You have been marked."

"Marked? As what?"

"As the dark lord's." He held out a towel, I quickly took it just to please him.

"As what? A play thing? A minion? What is it?" He looked down at me sad.

"As his property."

"I'm someone's PROPERTY?" I started to cry. "Why did this happen to me?" I whined. I could hear someone enter the other room.

"Draco what is going on?" Someone shouted. He turned to me nervous.

"Just be quiet." He turned towards the door and shouted, "Nothing is wrong!"

"Where is she Draco?" The voice questioned.

"We'll be downstairs in two minutes."

"You better." I could hear them trudge off in the other direction.

"You need to get dressed fast and don't show any emotion." I opened my mouth to object but he silenced me. "Just do it, otherwise there will be consequences." I waved and my towel transfigured into slacks and a long sleeve shirt. "You need to be dressed more formal for breakfast."

"And show this off?" I pointed to the left side of my body.

"Yes. Now turn it into a sundress or something and do it quick." I waved once again and turned it into a pale sundress and did my make up light too. "Good let's go." We made our way quickly down a elegant and long set of stairs. We walked down multiple corridors, and eventually ended up in the one from last night. I clung onto Draco. "Meredith?"

"I'm sorry about your nose."

"It's all fixed up."

"I noticed."

"Are you ready?"

"No." I closed my eyes and walked in the room with Draco. I was met with silence. I opened to see Draco's family staring at us. Finally after a few unforgiving moments his father spoke.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Draco nudged me.

"Ah...yes. Thank you for asking." Draco pulled me towards the table and sat me down next to him. His mother continued to gawk at me. I looked down at the table unsure of what to do.

*****Author's Note *****

**I have two more chapters after this one actually, but I'm not really sure if I'm heading into an interesting direction or not.**


	5. I Don't Know What To Do

~~~~~Third Person's POV~~~~~

"How is she, Draco?" Narcissa's eyes looked so sad. Draco looked over at his father, he was subconsciously rubbing his dark mark. Narcissa and Lucius were racked with guilt.

"She's holding up."

"Holding up?" Draco sighed.

"I wouldn't know exactly. She keeps her emotions mostly to herself." Narcissa turned away from her husband and son. .

"Just like Severus." It sounded like she was talking more to herself, than to her family. Lucius tried comforting Narcissa once again.

"It's not your fault Narcissa." She shook erratically. She couldn't control herself even after Lucius was sent to Askaban. She held it barely together and now she was a wreck. She didn't say anything even though her lips trembled. Draco and his father looked away ashamed. Never have they dealt with such strong emotions, never in their entire life. It wasn't taught in the pureblood way, any emotion problems were doped over with medication or curses. It never could prepare them for this particular situation. Lucius whispered to his son.

"Will you go and check on Meredith while I handle your mother?" Draco sighed, not wanted to deal with the greater of two evils.

"I will." He stalked out of the room and into the sitting room. He leaned against the wall, watching Meredith holding a book. She was reading and ignoring everything around her. Quite different to what his mother was going through. His aunt Bellatrix was having a ball, sitting in the corner of the room. She was causally flicking random bits of odd pieces around the room at Meredith. They bounced off of a personal barrier that Meredith had set up around herself.

"You can stop doing that now." Bellatrix pouted at Draco but lowered her wand, and stalked out of the room. He ruined her fun. He shook his head, when he looked back at Meredith. She carried on reading as if she was the only one in the room. "Meredith?"

"What do you want Draco?" She asked in a dull tone.

"Well never mind then. I just leave you to yourself." Draco was sick of dealing with emotional women.

"Wait." She had set her book down, staring at Draco. Her eyes desperately pleading with him. "Don't leave me."

~~~~~ Basement of the Manor~~~~~

"Where is the traitor?" Snape snarled through the door. Theo could barely lift his head to see who was exactly was talking.

"Locked away with the rest of _them_." Greyback answered distastefully.

"Open the gate, Fenrir."

"As much as I would like to, the dark lord has instructed that no one go beyond this point." Snape's expression visibly soured. The dark lord prevented him of his rightful revenge.

"Did the dark lord say why?" Fenrir chuckled.

"He wants to teach the liar a lesson himself."

"He lied to the dark lord?"

"Yes. Multiple times from what Lucius was talking about."

"A dimwitted move." Fenrir licked his lips excitedly.

"Yes, whatever the dark lord has planned for him, I want to be there. I haven't seen anyone betray the dark lord so easily, I want to see what he has planned for the traitor." Fenrir looked over at Snape, who seemed to be contemplating what he was saying. "It would probably be more brutal than whatever you could come up with Snape, so just let it be."

"Don't talk down to me, Greyback. As I recall, I'm in better favor with the dark lord than you." This time Fenrir snarled at Snape. He didn't like being belittled.

"Too bad Snape. You're not getting through this door." Suddenly, Fenrir collapsed. His body slumped against the ground, frozen in place. Severus was determine to teach his daughter's husband a lesson.

"That isn't smart, Severus." Snape lowered his wand and turned to face his master.

"Excuse my behavior, my lord." Severus bowed to Voldemort. Voldemort tsked his loyal subject.

"I see that you are eager to see this man tortured."

"Yes, my lord." Voldemort smiled, flicking the gate open.

"Then you may join me, Severus. Along with another." Severus's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He knew that Voldemort meant for his daughter to join their torture session. Voldemort tapped Fenrir on the side of his head, with his heel. Fenrir slowly shook himself from the unconsciousness that had just consumed him. "Go fetch Bellatrix, and tell her to bring the girl with." Voldemort didn't have to speak, twice. Fenrir was gone within a blink of an eye. Voldemort turned towards the gate once more. "Come along Severus."

~~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

"I start school in a few days time." Draco stated. He sounded upset by his utterance.

"I wish I could go back." I admitted. Draco turned to me surprised.

"Why would you want to go back?"

"Hogwarts was like a home that I've never had before. It was first time, that I found somewhere that I belong."

"It's not going to be like it was last year. Deatheaters, mainly the Carrows, are part of the staff this year." I sighed. Draco was right, it wouldn't be the same.

"I know, but I left before graduation and even with how times are now, I still would like my schooling equivalence. I worked hard to accomplish what I did in school."

"You're strange, you know that?"

"I figure. So do you think your parents will let me?"

"Let you do what?"

"Go back to Hogwarts for a day, and finish what I need to get my equivalence."

"That's not up to them Meredith."

"But your parents are going to 'watch' me, aren't they?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then they can accompany me to Hogwarts."

"It's still not up to them Meredith."

"That isn't fair."

"DRACO!" I covered my ears. Someone was screeching Draco's name. "DRACO! DRACO!"

"What!" Draco called out, nervous. Bellatrix quickly skipped into the room, quite cheerful.

"There you are." She came up to me and held out her hand.

"What do you want?" Draco asked. She tried to glare at Draco, but she was too excited.

"Time to see your hubby."

"I don't want to go see him."

"It's time for his punishment." She forcefully latched her hand around mine and began to drag towards the exit. Draco followed us in hot pursuit.

"I'm coming with you." Draco declared. Bellatrix let a callous laugh.

"If you know what's good for you Draco, you will stay out of places where you do not belong. If the dark lord wanted you there, he would of requested your presence." Draco grunted. "But he didn't. So go be a good boy and practice your curses. Maybe next time you can tag along." She patted the side of his face. Draco looked positively livid. I was breathless, she said that Voldemort had requested our presence. Bellatrix continued to drag me along the corridors without Draco following. She shoved me down some stairs into a dungeon looking room.

"Looky who I found!" Bellatrix cackled. I looked down at the site before me, horrified. My father was smirking at Theo, who was pathetically groveling at his feet.

"Ah, look Severus your daughter has arrived." Voldemort pointed out. I didn't bother to see if my father had acknowledged me. I was too afraid, Voldemort had already addressed me.

"That she has." My father replied. I kept my eyes on the floor, watching Theo's shaking form.

"Why don't you come over here, and show your father your mark." I hesitated, which seemed to increase the tension within the room. But instantly I was walking over to Voldemort and my father. Voldemort was smiling at my sudden compliance. Finally I had approached them, as if I had been walking in slow motion. "Spin around." I did as I was told. My father was no longer smirking.

"Why the difference in marking, my lord?" Voldemort smiled once more, I want to shiver but I refuse to show my weakness. Voldemort patted the top of my head.

"I felt a need to mark her with a special design. A design glorifying her power, and her beauty."

"Protection capabilities also?"

"Yes, Severus. No one will intentionally mess with Meredith."

"Meredith?" Creaked Theo. His face was bruised and swollen. "Meredith?"

"Yes, Theo?"

"Help me." Theo pleaded.

"Or hurt him. Hurt him, like he hurt you." Voldemort insisted. I felt conflicted. Theo did cause me a lot of grief, and my life would probably drastically different if he hadn't butted into it, but he was so helpless.

"I can't." I confessed. As much as I wanted to hurt him, I couldn't.

"Why is this?" Voldemort turned towards my father. "Where's the desire Severus? Didn't you raise her right?"

"I tried as well as I could." My father sneered. "She was always uncooperative."

"Her intellect is immense, but her will is weak." Suddenly something came over me.

"Who wants to kick a dog when its down." Where the hell did that come from?

"Quite right." Voldemort chuckled.

"Must of grew out of the puppy love stage." Bellatrix bantered.

"Never was in one." Again where was this stuff coming from, its like I couldn't help myself.

"So what are you going to do, Meredith?"

"Maybe he should be sent away, my lord." My father had cut in.

"Go on Severus."

"He has been clearly been punished severely for a week now. Still with all the times he has hurt her, she doesn't have it in her to hurt him. With him around, he'll be another distraction for her, another reason for her to hesitate. One slow move can upset everything within seconds." Voldemort pondered this for a moment. I felt embarrassed. My father described my weaknesses once again.

"Bella would you escort Nott back to his residence?" Bellatrix pouted, but did as she was told. She poked Theo with her wand.

"Come on. I don't have all day." Theo sighed painfully. He slowly stood, wincing.

He quietly mumbled, "Thank you my lord." Voldemort turned and gestured towards me.

"Why don't you thank your ex-wife? She was the one to spare you." If Theo could of narrowed his eyes he would have. His thoughts bubbled with spiteful feelings but he kept what little composure he had.

"Thank you Meredith." Bellatrix quickly snatched his arm, catching him by surprise. They disappeared. I turned to Voldemort, unable to refrain myself from asking him.

"We aren't married anymore?"

"Are you doubting my power?" I shook my head.

"No."

"Well then?"

"Thanks." Voldemort looked amused.

"My lord?" I turned to see that Draco's father had entered the room.

"Lucius." He turned towards my father.

"Severus, we had just received an owl, requesting your presence back at Hogwarts."

"Leave Severus, Lucius and I will handle everything from here." My father nodded his head, and disappeared with a crack.

"Lucius?" Draco's father nervously twitched.

"Yes my lord."

"Don't we have a surprise set up for Miss Snape here?"

"Yes, everything is ready my lord." Draco's father latched onto my arm. We had appeared into another room. The urge to vomit quickly overrode my senses. I tried to choke it down. "Just breath, otherwise vomit in the cauldron." I waved him away from me.

"I'm good." I looked around the room. There was various measuring instruments, a giant cupboard filled with ingredients, and there was also different animals caged in the room. "What is this?"

"Your new lab."

"Lab for what?"

"To accomplish your mission." Voldemort stated.

"My mission?"

"You are to complete your elixir."

"And what if I don't?" Voldemort wove his fingers through my hair and pulled me towards him.

"You will. One way or another."


	6. Changes

****** The way I'm going to tweak this chapter to make it so I'm not idolizing my character or whatever I cut out the earlier portion of this chapter. Sorry it's shorter but get through this to read new stuff! *******

The bright sunlight began to creep through my window. It was dawn. I slowly stretched my limbs, only to find myself exhausted. Dreaming seriously has been wearing myself out lately, it's like having been sleeping at all.

"Missus, you have been requested to have breakfast with Madam Malfoy."

"I'll be down shortly, Dot."

"I'll tell Madam." The house elf was gone with a puff of smoke. I decided to roll out of bed and begin my day early.

~~~~~~~~At Hogwarts~~~~~~~~~

"It is only three days into term and you're already in trouble Draco."

"So," and with much regret, he finished, "Headmaster." He was still expected to be proper.

"What am I supposed to report to your parents Draco?" Snape was already tired of dealing with someone that absolutely wanted to do with him. He stood; ready to walk from the headmaster.

"Whatever pleases you Headmaster. I frankly don't care anymore." Draco began to walk away.

"You have detention with me at 8:00 p.m. don't forget."

"Fine." Draco was closing the door behind him.

"Draco, it will get better." The boy shook his head and Snape sighed.

"He'll come around Severus. He just needs time. He's worried for his family." Snape sighed once again. He turned to Dumbledore's portrait seeking guidance.

"I know Albus, but this isn't going to get any easier for him."

"Or you, Severus. Have you visited your daughter?" He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Obviously not Albus, otherwise I would be at the Malfoy manor as of this moment."

"Why don't you go visit her. She probably is conflicted with all the evil that surrounds her there."

"I know she needs to be rescued from there. But I can't possibly do it myself, and if she were ever to leave the Malfoy's possession they will be severely punished. I don't know how much more the dark lord will handle their lack of compliance. I have my obligations here, I need to protect the students."

"You're a strong man Severus, but its hard to do it alone."

"I've done it before." Someone had entered the room.

"Headmaster, your assistance is needed down in the great hall." Minerva sounded utterly disgusted to be asking for Snape's assistance.

"Hello Minerva." Dumbledore's portrait greeted the stressed teacher.

"Good evening Albus."

"Minerva would you take Severus down to where Amycus is horrifying the student body."

"Only cause you ask Albus. Come along Headmaster." Snape stared at Dumbledore's portrait, gratefully. Not many of his old counterparts wanted anything to do with him after killing Albus, but they would remain somewhat civil with him, if the portrait ask it of them.

~~~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~~

"I miss Draco terribly." I stirred my tea half-listening.

"He was decent company. Not a lot of people my age come around here very often."

"It isn't the safest for people your and Draco's age to be wandering these halls. I'm sorry that both you and Draco have to suffer through it." Mrs. Malfoy seemed to be generally regretful this morning. She must be missing Draco more than I figured. I miss Draco's company too, but our friendship was still strained from previous events.

"I don't mean to be blunt Mrs. Malfoy, but why did you want to have breakfast with me this morning?" She nervously placed her cup of tea down and sadly looked back at me.

"I wanted to know how you were doing? Also I do admit, it is nice to have another female around other than my sister."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry dear, if I have imposed on you. I just wanted some company."

"It's not a big deal, Mrs. Malfoy. But I'm not much for company, I've never been one to socialize for long." She laughed quietly.

"You're a lot like your father."

"Do you talk to him?" This time it was her time to hesitantly answer.

"We aren't on the best of speaking terms lately. Would you want me to contact him for you?"

"No. No, that wasn't what I was implying. I don't want to bother him."

"I'm sure that it wouldn't be a big bother, I could send an owl out in a matter of minutes." I set my tea down shaking my head.

"Thank you, Ms. Malfoy, but I wouldn't bother. I have things to attend to."

~~~~Weeks Later~~~~`

The early morning light began to fill the room once again, still it doesn't feel like I have slept at all. What the fuck is my problem? I pulled my matted hair out of my eyes, only to see my pitiful refection stare back at me. My hair was losing its healthy sheen, my eyes had a permanent looking dark circles surrounding them.

"CAN'T I BE LEFT ALONE!" I clamped my lips shut, Mrs. Malfoy hadn't even knocked on the door. It was driving me nuts, how I knew everyone's intentions before they even did anything.

"Are you okay?" She quietly asked through the door, scared of the outburst that I just had.

"Just fine."

"Well breakfast is ready." She walked away. I smashed my face back into my mattress.

"I'm losing my mind." I don't know if I can go on like this anymore. Constantly being watched like a hawk, accomplishing absolutely nothing within the time span that Voldemort had given me. When I'm around others, it's like I'm a shell of the person that I used to be. And there wasn't much of person then. I threw the covers off of me, flipping out of bed, instead of landing on my feet I collided with the floor. "Why can't I do anything right!?" I just wanted to lay there and die. I haven't felt like this before, nothing is working out. People were depending on me though; their survival depended on my accomplishments. I picked myself up and started to dig through my well-furnished closet. I had grown accustom to the dark marking covering half my body, I no longer try to hide it. It seemed that the people that would randomly show up at the manor would keep their distance after they see my mark.

~~~~~~Hermonie's POV~~~~~~

"Hermonie, how did you get this information?" I grimly smiled.

"I have my ways Harry." He sat upon a nearby rock to review the documents that I had stole.

Harry read the first article out loud, "Anastasia Snape Missing, wife of Supposed Ex-Deatheater."

"Snape's wife went missing a couple years after the first war."

"What do you think happened to her, Hermonie?"

"I don't know, Harry. But look at the picture, its just Snape. There is no mention of his daughter." Harry looked closer at the papers.

"The only thing that even mentions that Snape has a daughter is the record of magical birth."

"Yes, Harry. But look at the name."

"Anastasia Snape (Reign) and Severus Snape welcome their daughter Anastasia Meredith Snape."

"That explains why she was introduced by two names. But Hermonie, how did you really get this stuff?"

"There were a couple instances where, I...kind of...during the school year..."

"Well spit it out Hermonie."

"I had followed the girl around."

"What would possess you to do that?"

"How could you keep your own family a secret from everyone?"

"I thought that my parents had died in a car accident."

"That's different Harry. You knew nothing of magic. From the intelligence that Snape's daughter has, she grew up knowing of her powers, but not much of anything else. She lacked actual social skills, I noticed that she acted irregular at the beginning of last term. Suddenly then she was the center of attention, then not too long after that she seemed to start losing it."

"How much time did you spend keeping tabs on this girl?"

"Enough to notice her extreme changes in behavior."

"Do you think this will help us find her?" I sighed, taking a seat next to Harry.

"It's a start."

~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

"Why don't you take a seat my dear?" I shook my head and refused the tea.

"I know that you are up to something Ms. Malfoy." She near knocked her cup of tea off the plate.

"What would make you think that?" I sighed and crossed my arms.

"Just cut to the chase, what are you trying to avoid telling me?"

"Your nerves and spirits seem to be running high. Our master has also notice your lack of progress, due to your irritable disposition." I glared at her, but she continued. "He has granted for you to return to Hogwarts for the day, in order to fulfill whatever educational requirement that you were requesting about." I wanted to leap for joy, I finally could get a break from everything, and have an excuse to see my father.

"But there is a catch isn't there?"

"Well, everyone at the manor is far too busy to take you." _Someone else is going to take you. _

"Who is taking me then?" She sighed, but someone else answered for her.

"I will." Blaise replied, suddenly standing the doorway.


	7. Sarcasm & Heart Felt Feelings

****I've been thinking long and hard about a possible rewrite for the sequel, maybe giving Meredith's personality a bit of a tweeking. I've decided that I'm going to do some minor tweeking in the earlier chapters when I get the chance, and I've changed a bit from the way that I was originally going to take this…This chapter is not super exciting, but I needed to write something tame, before I jumped head first back into this. So hopefully enjoy! ****

Awkwardly, I walked down towards the Malfoy's foyer, with Blaise tailing me.

"Are you ready?" He causally asked, as if nothing had ever happened.

"What is wrong with you? I don't understand why you would be doing me a favor, or even volunteering for this."

He sighed. "Let's go Meredith."

"No Blaise I want an answer." He sharply turned around a clamped his hand painfully around my wrist.

"Because Meredith, as much as you have hurt me…"

"Seriously Blaise let go of my arm…" He cut me off and pulled me close.

"If you just pay attention for just a minute to me instead of yourself, I want to say_ I still care about you_." He let go and I backed away from him. It's like I heard an echo ring through my mind. _He still cares about you. He still wants to be with you, he's never stopping caring. _I started to smack the side of my head. "Meredith?" I looked up at Blaise, he had no expression on his face.

"I can't do this; I can't deal with this right now."

"You're going to deal with this. I need some answers." I leaned against the wall ready to lash out.

"You have some balls to tell me what to do."

"And obviously you're not the kind hearted person that I once knew." I smacked my hand into his shoulder knowing what he meant.

"I have never cheated on you!"

"Then why marry Theo out of the blue. Was it a whirl wind romance, or were you two always going behind my back?" He sarcastically droned out.

"Damn it. Despite what you believe, I didn't do anything behind your back. But nothing is going to convince you otherwise." He opened his mouth to talk but I interrupted. "Just take me to Hogwarts." He shut his mouth and offered his hand, I hesitantly accepted.

~~~~Third Person POV~~~~~

"Snape." He sneered at Alecto.

"What gives you the impression that you and your brother can barge into my office. Didn't he learn?" Instead of sneering back at Snape, she smirked at him.

"The Zabini boy has returned." She stated matter of factually.

"And I care why?" He sneered again at her.

"Thought you would like to know that he has brought a visitor."

"Do you know who he is?" Suddenly, Snape was curious. How could the boy bring someone into the castle without him knowing? Alecto leaned against the wall looking smug.

"Well dark lord has ordered that _she_ was to be granted entrance onto the grounds."

"Who is she, Alecto? I will not be bothered by this game you're trying to play."

"I believe that he introduced her as _Meredith_." She actually smiled when Snape barged passed her in a rush.

~~~~~~~Another part of the castle~~~~~~

"I'm done talking about this Blaise."

"But I'm not." Meredith cupped her head in her hands, vainly annoyed.

"No matter what I tell you, you're not going to believe me. You're just going to believe what you want to believe. I have no other way to convince you. All I can do for you is offer my apology."

"You figure that sorry is going to fix it? I don't know what fairytale world that you're living in Meredith, but that isn't how the world works."

"I am really sick of your attitude. You act like you were the only one that got hurt in this whole ordeal. I don't know what is more childish."

"Because I was." Meredith let a screech of annoyance out. She accusingly started to point at him.

"I have no idea where you think you can get off saying that to me. Did you ever stop to think about why I went to Theo?"

"I could think a few good reasons." Meredith bit down on her tongue, she wanted to freak out.

"Never mind, you can't even be serious when I'm practically bleeding out my heart and soul."

"Honestly, what good reason could you have to explain why you had betrayed me?"

"Betrayed you? What about me?"

"What about you? I haven't done anything to hurt you intentionally." Tears began to form in her eyes.

"If you really do care like you say you do, you would have told me what was going to happen that night at the Malfoy's. You would have said something instead of me being practically sent up to slaughter." He stared down at the ground for a moment, ashamed.

"I was going to, but I was still hurt that you chose him over me. I couldn't understand what was better about him that I hadn't possessed."

"There is nothing good about Theo, so I wouldn't compare yourself to him. I left Blaise because I was scared. I was deeply scared of what you were going to do to me in the room of requirement. You had hurt me before, but I don't blame you. You weren't yourself."

"Don't Meredith." Blaise warned her. He didn't want her to bring it up, if she did, it would become all too real for him. She clutched his hands.

"Blaise don't be embarrassed about it. It is something that you can't control and I don't blame you for that. But at the time, I wasn't sure what to do and Theo had offered me a way out, as much as I had hated what was being asked of me. I gave what I didn't want taken from me."

"Please stop. I don't want to hear any more about this."

"No. You kept pushing me to hear this, now you're going to listen. The thing is, I shouldn't have ever left with him, because I went from one terrifying situation to another. Every day for the past few months, I have regretted. And I have no one to blame but myself. If I would have listened to my father, I wouldn't have been in any of this mess. I would just be locked away in my room at Spinner's End and had been oblivious to all of this."

"You wish you had never met me?" She delicately touched the side of his face.

"No never. I just regret all the pain and misery that we have caused each other." They wrapped their arms around each other, and held each other in silence.

Snape couldn't watch anymore of the intimate scene before him. What had he stumbled upon? It was disturbing, yet curious all at the same time.

~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

I pushed Blaise away in frenzy. "Someone's coming." A man came strolling towards us, I had seen him before. He was one of many visitors at the Malfoy's.

"Master Zabini, I'm guessing your trip went well?" I looked at Blaise, his stature changed dramatically.

"Obviously Carrow. Where's the headmaster?" Suddenly his wand was out and pointed at Blaise's face.

"I don't take kindly to back sass, boy." He paused for a second, before swishing his wand. "Cruico."

"Stop. You're hurting him." I cried out. Blaise flopped on the floor in pain, trying not to scream.

"That's the point sweetheart. The boy needs to learn his place." The Carrow man gazed manically at me for a moment. "And if you don't back away and shut your mouth, you can trade places with him."

"How dare you! Stop it right now." The man lifted the curse and Blaise began to pant heavily on the floor.

"Fine, I warned you sweetheart." He pushed his wand to my temple, and took a step closer to me. "My, my little girl, you come as pretty as they can get. Maybe you could make up your ignorance with something other than an apology." He winked. I raked him across the face, satisfied that I was able to scrape up a little blood. "I do believe that it is time that you learn how to respect your superiors."

"And I do believe that you learn how to respect yours, _Amycus_." I had my hand wrapped around his throat, staring into his horrified eyes.

"Meredith?" Blaise called out to me, but his cry wasn't enough to stop this feeling I had. He had to understand that he couldn't treat my friend that way. Not one of the few people that actually cares.

"What's going on here?" I was thrown from the man. I backed into the wall finding my father angry staring down at me. He looked down at Blaise who was still on the floor, and the Carrow man gasping across the hall from us. "What did you do Carrow?" He sneered with disgust. The man narrowed his eyes at me.

"I was teaching the boy a lesson, when the crazy wench attacked me." My father grimaced at the man before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Do you know this 'crazy wench' is the dark lord's key for winning this war? You dare to attack her and the one assigned to protect her. Running a slippery slope, aren't we?" No one said anything; I just looked at the ground, watching Blaise trying to get a grip in order to stand. He turned to Blaise. "Can you walk?" Blaise grunted in response. "Good. You are excused from classes the rest of the day." He snatched my wrist, I held my breath.

"Sir?" His glare made me go silent. He pulled me in the direction of the headmaster's office. He shut the door behind him.

"Irresponsible."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause a raucous."

"What are you here for? Other than causing problems."

"Well I was given permission to come back to Hogwarts for the day." He didn't say anything for the longest time. He looked at the wall decorated with portraits of previous headmasters. Dumbledore's portrait waved to me. Dumbledore? Why was he being so friendly to the daughter of the man who killed him? I would be cursing his name til the day that he died, but Dumbledore was always much more refined the most.

"What were you given permission for? Have you made in progress brewing the bloody potion?" His tone of voice made me stare at the ground.

"I haven't made as much progress as the dark….lorrrrrrd…." I struggled to utter his title. "Would have like. I'm actually on a plato when it comes to trying to figure out where to go from what I have. I've never been pressured into during any of my research, and now there seems to be a ticking time limit. I feel strained. So I figure, that someone had mention to _him_ about wanting my equivalence taken care of. Hence why I'm here, I get what I want, and I better figure out what he wants fast."

"Taking a favor, borrow on the dark lord's time."

"I didn't think of it like that."

"Hope it was worth it." I didn't reply, unsure was what else I had done wrong. The first time I've seen him properly in a while and I'm screwing things up. But what should I expect, I fuck up everything. The last time we had met, I was at a moment of weakness, but am I ever not?

"This was a mistake." Before I had time to bolt to the door he had a hold of my arm. Something different had flickered through his eyes, not anger, but something close. Nothing I had seen before.

"Stay."

~~~~~~~~Draco's POV~~~~~~~

Reverently, quiet. That's how every meal was in the great hall. Besides the occasional bickering, no one spoke above a whisper. Looking at the Gryffindor table was staring down a lot of broken down prisoners. But weren't we all prisoners inside?

"Hey mate." Blaise was lowering himself slowly down onto the bench. Obviously he wasn't the only Slytherin to come back from an 'excused' absence without some wear and tear. Blaise and I's friendship has never really returned the way it was, but we were on a mutual ground. If either of us were to come across Nott by ourselves neither of us would hesitate to curse him to oblivion.

"Were you saving a damsel in distress?" Pansy always had to butt in people's business.

"Maybe." Blaise smirked.

"More than likely that damsel had beaten him to a pulp, from the looks of him." It was almost shocking how bold Crabbe has gotten in the last few months.

"Only one girl could do that to me." I glared at him. _Meredith._


	8. Utter Confusion

****I had a long time to ponder over a rewrite and honestly, I don't have it in me to go back and change stuff. I am going to continue with the direction I was originally going to do. Not to get anymore criticism for Meredith's perfection/idolization whatever, I just want to say what happens to people when they have too much power? Not trying to give away too much…. This was 90% wrote before I considered a rewrite. I just finished it off, starting from next chapter will be fresh writing. Hope to see you soon**I did revise chapter six by unfortunately cut out the beginning part****

My father had given me a nod of acknowledgement. That was our way of saying goodbye. He had briefly mentioned that he would be over at the Malfoy's around the holidays, but that was all. I closed the door behind me with my required papers in tow, everything that had been said had to be kept secret. Why? I didn't know, just as everything else was. I had to find Blaise once again. Him nor Mrs. Malfoy neglected to say who was bringing me back. Walking down the corridors brought back memories of months ago. Almost I would like to say care free, but it was mostly emotional days.

_**"I never really found many girls that have kept my interest. I mean look around, very slim pickings when it comes to a beautiful and intelligent girl." Draco ranted on. I shook my head. He could be so ridiculous sometimes. There were plenty of good looking girls ready to plunge into the depths of his arms…or bed. _

"_Can't have them too smart, Draco." _

"_Why is that?" I smiled. _

"_Too smart means she is a good manipulator."_

"_Like you?" Draco joked. I stood indifferent to him, ready to tear up. _

"_That's what you seriously think of me?"_

"_No. No Meredith. I didn't mean it like that."_

"_I'm sure." Draco was getting frantic now. Girls about to cry always had him on edge._

"_I was just joking Meredith. Just forget I said anything." He nervously pleaded. Just get over it Meredith he was just poking fun. Normal people do that. Be normal, take a joke. _

"_It's all good. But let's hurry to the great hall. I'm hungry." Real smooth diverting the topic. _

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yes Draco. I could jump around and do my happy dance if it will make you feel better."_

"_You have a happy dance?"_

"_I could make one up quick." He laughed. His laugh was one of the few things that made me feel comfortable around him. It was so genuine. He and I hadn't said anything else as we made our way towards the great hall. Before we made it to the entrance, he whispered in my ear._

"_But I don't want a blithering dunder head either." I couldn't help but laugh.**_

Once again, I was at the entrance of the great hall, just like I was many months before. Nothing had changed; the doors were still wooden monuments outlining the boisterous room.

"What are you doing here?" I saw a tall Gryffindor boy staring viciously at me.

"What?" What did I do to him?

"Are you deaf? What are you doing here?"

"I don't understand why you're talking to me like that. But I certainly don't appreciate it."

"Appreciate it? Oh no, I've offended a deatheater. What am I going to do?"

"Why are you doing this to me? I've never done anything to you."

"You think it's all about you. It's your kind. Many of my friends either are dead or in hiding because of your kind."

"I'll teach you how to talk to me." I growled out. I couldn't help it. He had upset something deep inside.

He pointed to his cut up face. "Go ahead. It would just match the beatings that I received every day since term has started." Suddenly I felt very vulnerable. Hogwarts had changed, and not for the better.

"Mr. Longbottom, what are you…." Professor Slughorn immediately paused upon sighting me. "Ms. Snape. I almost didn't recognize you." He quickly babbled. The boy's eyes narrowed at me.

"Yeah, I almost don't either." I bitterly laughed, uncomfortable with the situation.

"Is there something that you need, otherwise Mr. Longbottom must be on his way."

"Ah, well I was looking for Blaise Zabini. Is he eating right now?"

"Yes. Yes. I can take you to him. Follow me."

I was stunned by the small size of the student body; the school had barely half of the students from the previous year. The only house that almost had a full table was Slytherin. "Mr. Zabini?" Slughorn called out. Everyone turned to stare at him, then me. Whispers exploded among the small crowd, even some of the staff seemed rather curious.

"Over here Meredith." He waved me by. I quickly strode towards him, not liking the attention. Blaise patted down on the seat next to him, he was intent on me sitting with him.

"So..?" I asked Blaise, who was buttering some toast.

"So what?" He countered. I stared at him.

"Do you know what happens next?"

"You weren't informed?" I sighed.

"Apparently not. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking." Blaise looked over at Draco, who was burning holes into my skin.

"As so, I am in no condition to leave the castle, as much as I would like," Blaise stared directly at Draco while continuing, "Draco could possibly take you back to his manor, I bet his mother would appreciate a visit, right Draco?" I could see Draco stiffen. He was suspicious of Blaise's motives, as was I.

"Is that what you were told, to have Draco bring me back?"

"Anything given to me directly from the dark lord, is need to know basis," which Blaise smirked, "which obviously doesn't include the either of you." I slammed my fist down onto the table.

"This is bullocks Blaise!" Several Slytherins paused, conversations ceased and many stared, I had talked out of line.

~~~~~~Ginny Wealsey's POV~~~~~~

Had that wicked girl, seriously say that out loud? Never could I have imagine that death eater, let alone Snape's daughter question their 'master's' orders. You couldn't so much as hear anyone breathe, the tension within the room was so thick. Zabini was quick to reply.

"Do you question the orders the dark lord gave me?" Suddenly the girl was nervous; she stepped out of her pureblood ways.

"Of course…not," the girl stumbled for words; everyone could see her tense up.

"How could she question orders that weren't revealed to her?" Looks like the ferret saved the day.

"Brilliant point, Draco," Zabini replied. And it was as if the conversation never happened, people continued eating, while others tried to wallow in silent misery.

"Ginny, are you still staring at her?" I shook my head; I need to observe such sights more inconspicuously.

"Not something you see every day, mate."

"True." Suddenly a parcel had been laid in front of Malfoy.

~~~~~~~Draco's POV~~~~~

_Draco,_

_You are to return Meredith back to the manor._

_Lucius Malfoy_

What a worthless letter, Zabini all along knew something was in store for me. I should have noticed his smirk after returning from unannounced absence. Meredith seemed to be fidgety. She kept playing with her hair over and over again.

"You two better get going…" Blaise was simply making the situation worse.

"Fine. Meredith?" She quickly stood and walked absentmindedly beside me.

"Lead the way." A crowd of whispers began over again.

~~~~~Third Person P.O.V.~~~~~

The tension was so thick; one could possibly cut it with a knife. Draco was due back with the girl ages ago, causing his mother to pace relentlessly around the foyer; Narcissa had a talent for over worrying.

"Splat." Bellatrix shook her hands openly around the room, before cackling.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Narcissa demanded, her husband was nervously watching from a distance. Bellatrix smiled, showing her poorly managed teeth.

"It is the sound of your brain exploding all around the room."

"Knock it off."

"Jeez, breathe a little Narcissa. It's like your world is ending." Narcissa stared at her sister, hard.

"Get out of my face before you regret it."

"If that's…" Narcissa whipped out her wand before she could even finish her snark retort. "You dare challenge me?" Bellatrix was never used to a receiving such treatment from her sister, especially over her little brat of a kid.

"Put down your wand." Lucius tried to diffuse the situation. Quickly Bellatrix was glaring at Lucius menacingly. Her predatory like circling made Lucius become quiet. He never could predict her next move.

"When did you grow your spine back, Malfoy? Since you have been locked up, you haven't had the balls to order anyone around let alone deserve anyone to actually follow it."

"This is my home, and I shall demand everyone to hold whatever restrain that they actually can in my presence."

"Is there something going on?" Suddenly a new voice appear from fireplace down the hall.

"Draco!" Narcissa went to hug her son. Meredith stood a few meters away, visibly uncomfortable.

"Mother." Narcissa pulled away from her only son, a little embarrassed of her dramatic display of affection.

"Meredith, you are summoned to your potions chamber." Lucius spoke quickly, he was nervous. Draco and his mother gave him a curious stare. "As for the rest of us, we are summoned to our master."


	9. Things Were Better Left Unsaid

"May I ask my lord…" Voldemort stalk upon the room, Nagini closely slithering near his bare feet.

"Silence!" Lucius' voice faded into the distance. Their master was clearly frustrated with something. All they could pray that it was not with them, or …have mercy on their souls. The Malfoy clan could not withstand another punishment from their master. "I've grown very tiresome."

"Tiresome, my lord?" Bellatrix was first to speak to Voldemort.

"Yes, tiresome. Tiresome of incompetent servants. Servants who cannot accomplish the simplest of tasks." Voldemort kept pacing around the nervous family. Punishments were in order for someone.

"Is there someone you would like us to torture? Possibly lock them in the cellar for you to interrogate? Just name who my lord?" Bellatrix was desperate to keep her lord happy, her family had been shaming his presence for years, but in the latter months his respect for the Malfoy/Lestrange family had dwindle dramatically.

"By all means Bellatrix, curse yourselves to oblivion." They all instantly stared at the floor, their master was anger with them, but by all means could be the end of their existence. Voldemort stopped just short of Lucius; "Where is the girl?"

"Exactly, where you asked, in the potion's chamber."

"Good, for now on she says in there regardless of the events going on."

"You…you want her, ttt…ttoo be locked in there?" Narcissa's throat was so dry, fear ravaged her body.

"Right, Ms. Malfoy. She has been giving her everything that her heart has desired, results need to be produced. She needs comforting stimulation."

"Being locked up is supposed to be comforting for her?"

"Does Severus seem to be a doting man, let alone father?" Everyone knew the answer to that question, Severus had always kept to himself, brilliant and reclusive but never really….comforting. "Bring that Parker woman, Lucius!" Everyone stood waiting for Lucius to come back as quickly as possible with the mysterious woman.

"Please no! I'll do anything, please don't take me to him. Please, I'm begging you!" The woman's pleas were high pitched and frantic, she wasn't in the room yet and their master was beginning to smirk. Which was never a good sign. She was throw on the floor in front of them like an animal. Draco stared in horror, he was never up to watch an interrogation. Just the thought of it made his blood run cold. The woman looked up to them, her eyes begging for someone to just end it all.

"Evening Ms. Parker. Do you know why you're here?"

"To tell you some information."

"About?" Voldemort was stalking around the poor woman, she could do nothing but stare at Nagini.

"The Snape Family." This shocked the Malfoy family, hadn't Severus proven his loyalty to the dark lord? He personally stopped from the Malfoys meeting an early demise, he took care of Dumbledore when Draco couldn't. She sighed sadly, this was something she really did not want to bare out loud, but lying was much too dangerous for her try in the presence of their master. If she was hoping to scrape out of this alive she needed to provide something crucial.

"I had been approached by Mrs. Snape when their daughter was barely a whelp. She wanted help with the baby, but she honestly wanted someone to take care of her while she spied on her husband. She never had much trust for his comings and goings."

"What happened to the wife?" Narcissa was generally interested what happened to the young woman. No one ever did figure out where she had taken off to. It was always figured that she had just left Severus in a hurry, she disappeared after the deatheater trials began, making this rumor plausible.

"As much as I suspected, I figured she finally caused him to kill her. She was a horrid woman, let alone be a mother and wife. She never paid that child any attention unless she could rub it in her husband's face. I had briefly asked about it once, and a vase nearby exploded. Severus never did flinch before stating a stark remark about Mrs. Snape. Never again, did I bring it up."

"So Snapey's wife bit the big one." Cackled Bellatrix. Quickly Bellatrix dropped to her knees, pain had filled her body. Voldemort had flicked his wand in her direction.

"Were you given permission to interrupt?"

"No," Bellatrix panted out, as Voldemort released her from the curse. "I'm sorry master." The Parker woman was shaking on the floor.

"Continue."

"Year after year I was employed by Severus to watch over the girl. She grew more beautiful by the day, she bosomed to look much like Mrs. Snape much to his dismay. It seemed that he couldn't stand the fact that she looked so much like her, if he would have spent more than a few minutes with the girl he would have realized she could not be compared to that horrid woman. He refused to call the girl by her first name which was just as his wife's. It's like that woman's image would forever be seeded into the looks of his daughter. There had been several instances she had tried to prove to her father that she was worthy of his affection. But from every attempt, he could find something wrong with the situation. I left after so long, I couldn't handle the repercussions that followed these attempts. He could be so cruel sometimes."

"You left the girl to fend for herself?" This caused the woman to tear up all over again. Much of the last few years she had regretting leaving that girl behind.

"She was tough. And no matter how much I pleaded with her, she wanted to prove herself. She had taken it upon herself to take up her father's interest in potions. He would spend hours on end in his private dungeons to brew things. She was talented much like her father, which went unnoticed." Narcissa looked away from this woman, the way she spoke of Severus made her sick. He had always been so trusting and helpful in protecting her sweet Draco. How could he do such things to his own flesh and blood? The one chance Narcissa had been around the two in person the girl's eyes sparkled with regret and yet, vying for his approval. A look Narcissa herself had once had for the admiration of her own mother. Narcissa never was perfect in the eyes of the matriarch of the Black family, it wasn't until her sister. Andromeda had disgraced herself by marrying a muggleborn and the fact of Bellatrix's infertility had become apparent. Then she was the apple of her mother's eye, especially after the Malfoy family had agreed to the marriage of her and Lucius.

"Narcissa!" She had snapped to her senses, her musings had become very noticeable to the room.

"Do you think this woman is trying to fill our heads with bullocks?"

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"You are the matriarch of this despicable clan. Does that sound like a woman's instincts to leave a neglected child behind?"

"No." Just the thought made Narcissa's stomach churn.

"Well?" She knew what she had to do.

"Legilimens."

****_ "What did I tell you Lisa?" She bowed her head at her employer. _

"_I'm sorry Missus, I will go get the baby from the parlor." _

"_You better move your arse fast." She bellowed at the nanny. "Severus will be home any minute." All she could do was stare at the toddler's eyes. She looked so sad when her parents were away from her. Her mother could be practically pinching the living snot out of her and she would just smile because she had her attention. ******_

"_You're daughter has real potential Severus, why don't you take her out to socialize with other wizards. I'm not much company for a 7 year old." Severus got close to her, his crooked nose almost pressed to her face. _

"_I don't pay you to keep her company, she needs to be controlled and kept out of trouble," His voice grew louder, "You're the one to criticize how I raise her? Are you a teacher? Do you have children of your own? NO you don't. I highly doubt you could get a man, let alone trick a man into touching you. Why do you think __**Anya**__ would have hired you? Couldn't have any good looking witches to try to steal me away from her filthy claws…" Severus started to turn red. Any time he brought up Mrs. Snape that man's blood would boil. _

"_Well, I don't think that's fair…"_

"_FAIR? You're going to tell me what is fair? You think I would want to be in this situation? Never would I have imagined to be in this god forsaken house having a conservation with an ignorant wench about something as petty as what I pay her to do." How small could this man make her feel? _

"_I was just saying that she needs to be socialize, cultured, and even pushed to express herself beyond these walls." _

_Severus snatched something out of the little girl's hands as she approached the rowing adults. _

"_This is what you are telling me she needs to do?" He waved the picture in front of her face. "How about you take your expressing yourself garbage and keep it to your damn self. I pay you to take care of her and nothing else. If you want to culture her…how about you try to teach her something useful!" He crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it to the floor. He shoved passed the two and slammed the door behind him. _

"_Why did you have to make father mad?" The little girl peeled towards the other direction clearly upset. Soon as the little girl turned the corner, she bent down to pick up the picture the girl drew. She had drew a large heart with picture of her and her father smiling. Scrolled out in crooked letters she wrote "Daddy and Meredith."*****_

"_What are you doing to her?" Severus had his daughter by the arm, it practically looked like he was going to rip her arm out of socket. Tears were threatening to pour out of the girl's eyes. _

"_She was stealing out of my potion's cupboards. Teaching my daughter to be a thief, huh?"_

"_Severus, let her go. She just wanted to make something for you." He kicked the girl to the floor in a rage. _

"_Thieves won't be rewarded in my house!"******_

"_I'm sorry. I cannot work for you anymore. Ana…" Severus glared down at her, she decided to correct herself. "Meredith deserves to be treated better. I cannot do this anymore." _

"_Then leave. It's not hard to replace you." _

"_Severus, I've been there since she was a baby, could I at least say goodbye?" _

"_No. You're no longer welcomed in my home. Either leave now or I will have to force you." Meredith was looking down from the top of the landing._

"_Meredith?" She called out to the young girl. _

"_Just leave us alone." *****_

Narcissa launched herself from the woman's conscience. It was sick. Was this her punishment for disobeying her master? Torture her mothering instincts with cruel images.

"Well?"

"I understand my lord."

~~~~~~Meredith's POV~~~~~

A horrible shrieking could be heard from down the corridor in the Malfoy Manor. The fear alone was enough to make me shiver. What was going on out there? Slowly, I crept to the door. I know I shouldn't look through the door, but the shrieking seemed to growing closer. _Don't do it Meredith. Don't be so bloody stupid. _I threw the door open in disbelief.

"Ms. Parker?" She snapped her head towards my direction, there was something truly frightening about her desperate stare.

"Run! Meredith run!" The dark lord's snake was giving chase at a fiery speed. I slammed the door, I couldn't be involved. "Help me! Meredith please for the love of god. HELP ME!" She kept pounding on the door, which I now had my back too.

"I can't." I cried out. They were going to kill her, and I couldn't help even if I_ wanted_ to. I didn't want to die. Suddenly her sobs became so muffled.

"You can never run from me, _no one ever can_." He was talking. "Avada Kerdava." HeHeHehkdsjfkdjslkfjdsk


	10. Sick Sense of Humor

_Okay, Jeffery, Jason, George, Bertha, and Mikey seemed to be doing fine. Matthew on the other hand, not showing very good results. _

"Oh, Matty. Poor baby." My newest pet wasn't doing up to par with this latest batch of elixir. I pulled the little boy out of his cage. "Just go to sleep, little one. It will all be over soon." He shrieked, and tears started stinging my eyes. Why did I have to test this, on my only friends? Matty had never done anything wrong, but wind up in this shop of horrors much like myself. He was just so beautiful and now all I could do is comfort him through the painful process of death. This was the punishment of my failures, to watch each and every one of my pets die one by one. Raw and cruel encouragement. I have to figure this out soon, I can't keep this up. "Come on honey, just close your eyes." His shrieks grew quieter and quieter, until I could only hear myself trying not to sob. "It will be okay. Just breathe, just breathe."

"Meredith?" I quickly turned to see Mrs. Malfoy had brought me something to eat. "Are you…Is there any particular reason you are cuddling a dead ferret?" I looked towards the floor while placing Matty back in his cage.

"So he didn't have to die alone."

"Oh. Well did you want to bury him or something?"

"That would be…"

"Narcissa, we can't be spoiling the girl. She needs to understand her failures." Mr. Malfoy was right.

"But Lucius, it isn't fair, and quite frankly, unsanitary."

"No he's right. Beside the point, I need to make sure he doesn't have side effects."

"Side effects?" She nervously asked.

"Reanimation of the corpse. We don't need things coming back from the dead, poltergeists are plenty to deal with."

"Right, that hasn't happened yet, has it?"

"No, but the very thing is probable. I am trying to defy nature, but it isn't my job to study the deceased or their properties."

"Okay. How are the other ones doing?"

"They are safe for now."

"As are you." I didn't dare look at the person that had appeared behind me. The Malfoy's bowing forms were all that I needed to see, Voldemort had entered the chamber. "Leave us."

"Master?"

"NOW." I could feel his gaze, he wanted me to face him. "That is better." I couldn't look into his dark eyes, it was like staring into a soul of a monster. "Not progressing as well as it should."

"No." I winced my eyes as he grabbed my lower jaw to look at him. The pressure hurt, a lot.

"You will answer your master with respect."

"I'M SORRY! Don't hurt me."

"Defiant, yet the will is weak. Such a waste."

"If that was the case I wouldn't be here." His long fingers were tangled into locks of my hair. Suddenly my face was dangerously close to hovering to the edge of the counter top.

"Not many people can live and tell the tale of back talking to their lord. And I certainly do not have the patience for you to have the chance." I could feel his breath of the back of my neck. My heart began to pound.

"But you won't kill me, you need me." This seemed to piss him off. With my hair, he threw me clear across the chamber into a stool, my back collided with the stone wall. He was in front of me before my vision had completely focused.

"You clearly have confused WANT with NEED. There are hundreds of followers that could replace you, to finish your work. Including Severus." Would he seriously kill me and my father would go on with this elixir while I'm gone? He couldn't. "Yes, Meredith. Your father is one of my most loyal followers, he would do whatever I commanded him to do. With or without his bothersome offspring to cloud his judgment. It would almost be a burden I could relieve him from." That hurt. He couldn't finish my elixir, he didn't even care about it in the slightest.

"He wouldn't. He thinks my concept is unfathomable, inconceivable and an utter waste time." Voldemort leaned in, "as I said, whatever I command." His face was so close to mine. "Breathe." I pushed out some air that I held. I hadn't even realized that I had been holding my breath. This seem to please him, he was sort of started to caress my hair. For several minutes, he continued this behavior. It was getting to be extremely overwhelming and anxiety began to grow within me. What was his intentions? "I have some encouragement." My heart started pounding again.

"What kind of encouragement?" His hand began to wander towards my chest. He barely just rubbed up against it before he jerked his hand away.

Oh thank god!

A cage appeared across the room. I stood to get a better look at the creature. He had conjured another ferret, which was beautiful golden color. He was so light compared to the others that I have had. He pulled me close to him, from behind. "He better live." He threw me again, across the room. I slammed into the counter that the cage was laying upon. He had left the chamber. Why would he give me another test subject, what was so special about this pet versus all the others I have had? Clearly in the corner of the cage gleamed a name plate, with the name _Draco_ inscribed on it.

"This better be a joke." Is this really him? "Draco? Is that you?"

************ The Trio ************

"Harry, it is almost going to be impossible for us to ever get into there. It's practically impenetrable."

"There has got to be a way for us to get in there!"

"You're bloody insane mate. You're talking about sneaking into Malfoy Manor, it is like Deatheater headquarters. I don't know if you bumped your head or something, but you're listed as undesirable no. 1 on all the snatchers list. Your face is plastered anywhere it possibly could have been put, sides of buildings, posters, and even in the Daily Prophet. Everyone will recognize us in a heartbeat."

"Well put Ronald."

"Thanks Hermonie."

"You guys are getting sidetracked! We need to get her away from there before she finishes!"

"We hear you Harry, but I can't find any realistic way for us to break into there without causing one or all of us to get caught."

"She's right Harry." Harry pushed passed the two, very angry.

"Dumbledore had trusted me to do this, I need to destroy all the horcruxes. I can't very well do that if she overcomes _his_ fatal flaw. We won't stand a chance."

"Yes, but Dumbledore didn't send us on a mission to find her. He sent you to destroy these, and as of now we still are not sure was what and where we could find these things."

"Are you doubting Dumbledore? Are you doubting me or what we are doing?"

"That's not what I said Harry." Hermonie pleaded.

"If that's how you feel. I don't need you here. I can do this on my own. I do not need someone who doesn't have faith in me to tag along." Ron stood between his two friends.

"Hermonie has been a great help so far. She has saved us several times Harry. I don't know where we would be without her."

"Now, you're doubting me too?"

"That's not what we are saying at all. You're twisting our words."

"Dumbledore couldn't have possibly foreseen this. We need to just bunker down and continue on with what we do know."

"As you just said, we don't know where these are, but we know where she is."

"But we can't…"

"Damn it, Hermonie. We have to try."

"Harry, give me the necklace." Ron demanded.

"Why?"

"Take it off now!"

"Fine." Harry threw it to the ground. His demeanor had instantly changed.

"Are you better?"

"Yes, much better. I'm sorry. We just have to do something."

"I know Harry. But for right now we need to focus on destroying this horcrux. We can't just go to Malfoy Manor without a good plan in place, otherwise we will fall right into their lap. And if we don't succeed, _he_ will have a good idea of what our intentions were. We will never get a second chance to try again."

"Fine. Let's go."

*********** Hogwarts ************

"Why did you call me hear Snape?"

"How about you address your superior with some respect Mr. Malfoy?" Severus rubbed his temple in frustration.

"Sorry headmaster." Draco rolled his eyes, he was not in the slightest interested into what he wanted to say to him.

"Take a seat." Severus pointed to an armchair across from the desk.

"I would rather stand."

"Draco." Severus was growing tired of this boy's intolerance. "Fine."

"Why am I here anyways?"

"Early this evening, I had been sent a curious request to check on your whereabouts. I was asked to physically locate you if possible and send them word either way."

"My parents?" Draco started to slowly breathe in and out. Who would be checking up on him? He wasn't assigned anything. He was just trying to get through school as painlessly as possible. Severus could sense the boy's apprehension.

"Yes, your mother. Apparently the dark lord has a….jarring sense of humor."

"Yeah and you would know all about that," Draco mumbled under his breathe.

"Speak up, or don't talk at all."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"Apparently the dark lord has not been…impressed with _Meredith's_ progress, and gave her some encouragement which had worried your family."

"Was it is twisted as your own? Or does _our_ lord actually out do your twisted nature?" Severus approached the boy, his eyes almost claiming just as high as his own stance.

"What are you trying to get at boy?" Severus's patience was wearing thin. This was the last thing he had needed to deal with today, Draco Malfoy's petty attitude.

"There's no hiding it now Snape. My family knows." Draco jerked away from the older man. "Stay the fuck out of my head." Severus never left a trace of his presence in one's mind without meaning to do so, his emotions was clouding his abilities.

"What are you talking about?" Severus was curious now, Draco had caught him off guard. Very few people could ever get one over him, he made sure of this. Draco began to pace, clenching his fists over and over again.

"You know what I'm talking about. We all know how you treat your daughter. You're disgusting, how could you treat…" Draco was getting angrier with every word, "I have never seen my mother so distraught." Snape backed off. How did they know?

"Did she tell you that? She's known to be overdramatic from time to time."

"She didn't say anything. My mother saw everything. We had witness the torture and death of some woman named Lisa in our parlor."

"Parker?" The nanny. Voldemort interrogate the nanny in front of the Malfoys?

"_Yes_, her. Apparently, we needed to treat her like she has _always_ been. She confined to a chamber with little human contact. She hasn't deserved a regular beating yet but based on what my mother had seen, it shouldn't be long."

"How dare you talk to me…" Draco interrupted Snape.

"How dare you! My parents talk nothing but good things about you, and this is how you treat your own family. You're sick. Tell my parents whatever you feel like. I'm surprised they contacted you at all, you animal." **HeHeHehkdsjfkdjslkfjdsk**


	11. Our Darkest Hours

It was almost impossible to feel comfortable while members of the Malfoy family monitor everything that Severus did in the premise of their property. He had lost the respect and trust of a family that held him in such high regards for a long time. Not that it bother Severus much, he has dealt with his fellow professors alienating him for killing Albus for the past year. The only thing that really upset Severus was that the Malfoy family has finally done what the rest of society had done to Severus ever since he was just a boy: Act as he was beneath them. The very same people who Severus has known through their darkest hours: murder, manipulation, and the early treatment of "their prize possession", Draco.

_****He observed his friend, Lucius. He was desperate to give their master a good report. _

"_If you were to tell me where I can find the McKinnons, we'll spare your wife." _

"_But I don't know where my brother is hiding his family. Please don't hurt her." _

"_Wrong answer." Lucius turned to the wife, who was bound. "Avada Kerdava." _

"_No! You didn't have to kill her! Angie was innocent."_

"_Then tell us where they are, and maybe we will spare the rest of your immediate family. Maybe is the key word." Lucius held his wand to the man's only daughter. She was only eight._

"_You can find them in North Ireland. My brother has property up there."_

"_Good." And this movement had surprised him, they had got what they came for. "Avada Kerdava." He could only stare at his friend in disbelief, he had killed a child. An innocent child. Lucius must have been bitterer about Narcissa's miscarriage than he had realized. _

"_Why would you do that? Just kill me now." Lucius finally turned to his friend, Severus could see such satisfaction dwelling in his eyes. _

"_Put him out of his misery already. We need to move on to our actual target." Was all Severus could say to his friend. Lucius was happy to oblige. ~~~~~~~~_

"_Severus, he won't even look at me anymore." Narcissa whispered desperately, as baby Draco slept in the other room. "He says that a good mother wouldn't let filthy house elves take care of the baby all day, but then he won't help me. All I need is a break, that's all I ask for." _

"_I don't know what to say Narcissa, and quite frankly I'm not sure why you seek my advice about something I have no insight on." This woman needed a calming serum, she was positively overwhelmed from motherhood. Suddenly, Draco's cries could be heard from the other room and Narcissa physically shook. _

"_I just don't know what to do Severus. I'm starting to have these thoughts and I can't help but be ashamed for thinking like this." _

"_About what?" She directed him to the room that the baby was crying from. Lucius pretty much had Narcissa at the beck and call of the child. There was a cot in the nursery for her to rest on. She had grabbed a small pillow and gestured down to the baby. _

"_Sometimes when Draco cries, he doesn't stop. He just doesn't ever stop. And all I can think of is, how good the silence would be. I can never get him to calm down, I'm such a horrible mother." Severus observed her stroking the pillow she was holding as she stared down at her crying son. "But maybe I could end all the pain, and keep the silence. Draco deserves to be treated better, treated by angels." Suddenly, Narcissa fell onto the ground, he had backhanded her harder than he had ever done in his life. She was absolutely bonkers. He picked up the crying baby awkwardly, and handed it to a house elf. "He'll be so mad!" He pulled the woman from the floor. She was completely broken. He began to shake Narcissa. _

"_Don't you EVER talk like that AGAIN!"~~~~~~_

_He had talked to Lucius about his distraught wife, and had given them several serums to curb the problem the couple had been ignoring, Narcissa had anxiety and was depressed after she had Draco, a deadly combination. Lucius hadn't questioned him for bruising his wife; Lucius would have done much worse if she had expressed her thoughts to him. Narcissa had soon returned back to normal and had become the ideal model of a good mother. The Malfoys had developed such a respect for him and what he had done for their family, and now they treat him with disdain. He had never held these moments against the family and how he view their characters. They were their darkest moments indeed. But now, should he have?*****_

"Good morning father." The sound of his daughter's voice brought Severus out of his angry musings.

"It's raining." This remark caused Severus to earn a sneer from Narcissa who was sitting across the study. "But I suppose it is." Meredith stood in front of Severus until he pointed to the closest armchair to him. A smile beamed on her tired face.

"Is there anything I can do for you, father?" Severus took in the sight of his daughter, she looked weak and had grown so thin. She skin was very ashy and the dark lord's branding was even starting to get dimmer. The dark lord had exhausted her mind to the fullest extent, he wanted to her to complete her elixir before he had another encounter with Potter. Besides her physical being, she was remarkably dressed. Probably Narcissa's doing, despite her current feelings with him.

"No." Her face sadly dropped. She started to nervously play with her hair, which Severus hadn't noticed at first. It was much shorter than he had remembered it. "I just came to check in."  
>"Well it's getting better. Less of my pets have been dying, so I'm making progress. <em>Draco<em> is healthy." Severus had forgotten the dark lord's motivation, Draco the ferret.

"That's not what I asked." Her head had dropped in shame. She had spoken out of turn and about the wrong subject. Narcissa intently moved closer to the edge of her chair, as if to whisk Meredith away from him. Severus clenched his fists, nosy bat. "How are the Malfoy's treating you?" This had caught Meredith off guard, as well as Narcissa. How dare Severus question her abilities as a hostess!

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy have been very kind to me. But I don't care much for Ms. Bellatrix, I mean Mrs. Lestrange." Severus coughed, he nearly laughed at the thought that anyone would address Bellatrix so proper.

"Nobody does." Narcissa had rolled her eyes, she had heard people bash her sister more times than she could count. For a few moments, the three of them sat in silence. Nobody knew really what to say, especially Severus. Narcissa stood up.

"Meredith it is time to go back to the chamber." Narcissa's gaze had been meet with the nastiest glare, Meredith was upset her time had been cut short. "The dark lord wouldn't want you to be distracted for long." It killed Narcissa to request her to leave. The girl desperately wanted to see her father and Narcissa had to be the one to end it so abruptly.

"I'll be back around the holidays." This caused Meredith to carry a small smile as she walked out of the room. Within a second Narcissa was next to Severus, implying him to stand.

"I don't think that it would be a good idea, if you came back so soon."

"Why is that Narcissa? Would my presence ruin your family's out dated traditions?"

"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you Severus. Meredith needs to concentrate."

"It's all about your family getting back in good graces with my daughter's help!"

"Severus I told you that I do not want to row with you. I am just telling you the facts."

"Okay. Okay. Then tell me why her hair is so short? I highly doubt she hacked it off herself." This was the point where Narcissa could no longer look into Severus's eyes. There was several reasons that Meredith didn't like her sister, not that Narcissa could condone Bellatrix's behavior. She was just trying to get Meredith in the mindset of how real her situation was.

"No she didn't."

"That's what I thought. I will be here during the holidays regardless how you feel. Hospitable my arse!"

"Severus that is enough!" Narcissa was getting to her whit's end. Lucius came barging into the room upon hearing his wife's distress.

"Don't tell me what is enough!" Severus's finger pointed right at Narcissa's face. Lucius pushed his wife back, taking a protective stance between the two.

"Severus, I believe you should leave."

"What you believe Lucius and what is actually going to happen are two different things. I will do as I please."

"Not in my home Severus. And I certainly don't appreciate you talking to my wife in such ways. We don't have to allow your presence in our home."

"What the home build on manipulation and preempted murder!?"

"Severus. Don't." Lucius pleaded. It was something he wanted to spare his wife of reliving again.

"What you don't want me to bring up your skeletons in the closet? You look down on me as if your hands are clean!"

"Severus please stop." Narcissa cried. There was too many people lingering in their home. Too many people would hear of her darkest hours.

"So you're telling me that you and your wife are going to drop a twenty year friendship over some memories that your wife saw outside of context? I could say the same about Draco. I wonder if he would think so highly of his family after he knows what his mother almost had done to him." Narcissa had reached out passed her husband and hit Severus as hard as she could. Severus had caught her hand midair, his blood was beginning to boil. "HOW DARE YOU!" He couldn't stand for someone to put their hands so willingly on him again. He was no longer a weak boy as in his youth, people didn't dare put their hands on him now.

"Let's just calm down for a minute." Narcissa shoved her husband out of the way.

"How dare I? Severus, I didn't want to do that. But at one time, I needed the sense slapped back into me, now I am trying to return the favor." Severus dropped her hand, he was in a loss for words. "Leave my home, Severus."

"Narcissa." She had cut him off.

"Get out now. When you regain your composure we may speak about this at a better time." Snape had apparated from their home on spot. The Malfoys sighed, things were slowly starting to unravel for them, as well as their friend.

~~~~~~Voldemort~~~~~~

There was no remorse, no feeling of life wasted. His foot had come into contact with his latest victims. A man that he had no personal connections to, but had refused his gracious offer of servitude. He was trying to rebuild his army, the beginnings of war have begun. A battle between himself and Potter was imminent. As his numbers were starting to swell, The Order's numbers were quickly dwindling. Voldemort himself had dispatched several of its numbers over the last several months, which caused him to swell with pride for the feat. But as his pride seemingly could not falter, his confidence was more than ever beginning to crumble. His thirst for immortality had become increasingly more violent, he had to get one over Potter. As much as his protections and prior precautions were remarkable, that fool Dumbledore and Potter had discovered his secret. His power was fading with the destruction of his horcruxes. His followers knew nothing of his ailing, but they knew something was amidst. The fear of his wrath had kept them at bay from seeing these faults, but soon he would need to correct this ghastly problem. Severus's daughter had been the light at the end of this dreary existence. Her work was promising him of something he would never have to fear again: DEATH. But her progression had been slow, and quite frankly, very disappointing. This recent excursion was trying to find an assistant for the girl to bounce ideas off of. Great minds could only be strained so far before a mistake was pending to happen. Personal experience had shown that he, himself, has done his own version such of a mistake. Countless nights spent finding the Potters, he quickly wanted to destroy the threat as soon as Wormtail had given him the vital information of their whereabouts. If he would have taken the time to rest and think of his plan, he would have realized the ancient magic that could be initiated and his "death" wouldn't have been due to his arrogance. She had to get the elixir just right, he didn't want to die because of some bloody thing she missed.

"Sir?"

"What!" He never wanted to be disturbed out right.

"There is a problem at Gringotts." Anger began to bubble inside himself, what happen now?

"Problem?"

"Seems that Potter infiltrated Gringotts."

**HeHeHehkdsjfkdjslkfjdsk**


End file.
